


How Dynasties Are Built

by falloncridley (myyellowumbrella47)



Category: Dynasty (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, falliam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22472947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myyellowumbrella47/pseuds/falloncridley
Summary: When Fallon gets sick, Liam is there to help her through every step of the way. That’s when she realizes the dynasty she’s been looking for is not about power and ruling the world.
Relationships: Fallon Carrington/Liam Ridley
Comments: 10
Kudos: 87





	How Dynasties Are Built

**Author's Note:**

> After getting so many incredible reviews on my last story, I decided to give another try.  
> This was supposed to be about 2k long but clearly, I got carried along. One episode without my babies and another one to come was enough to make me want to write more.  
> I hope you enjoy it!

Liam was scrolling through the “New Releases” section on Netflix when he heard Fallon coughing in the bathroom. It had only been a few months since Fallon showed up at his doorstep, two bags on each arm, telling him she had moved out of the manor. Since that night, not only was Fallon finding her own path but their relationship was also developing in new ways.

They had different routines but living together, only the two of them and no staff, turned out to be one of the best things that had ever happened to Fallon. Her company was going well, she could focus on her relationship rather than on her family’s problems but most of all, she finally felt free. Free to do whatever she wanted in life without worrying her father would judge her or her mother would diminish her. Fallon was happy and she wasn’t about to let anyone or anything ruin that. Well, except from the cold that was currently taking over her body in spite of her best efforts of fighting it.

That week had been insanely cold in Atlanta and even though she spent most of her time either at her office or their apartment, she still managed to get sick. Maybe if Liam hadn’t spent the past week in New York dealing with his mother and her newest life crisis she wouldn’t be this sick, but that was something she would never admit to him. As independent as Fallon was, she simply loved how Liam spoiled and took care of her. Sometimes even the tiniest things could brighten her day, like when he went to the gym and left small bags of fruit with a post it on top of them. He always managed to surprise her with a different message but there wasn’t one she didn’t love. Or when she got home late from the office to find him in the kitchen, cooking her something from scratch.

For someone who grew up in a mansion with dozens of employees, she was definitely used to people doing things for her but with Liam, it was different. He did that because he cared about her, not because he was paid to do it. He wrote her a different note every morning just because he knew he would get a smile from her, even on her crankiest days. Little by little, Fallon was learning how to reciprocate and do things for him as well. If she wanted their relationship to last, she needed to learn how to balance her work and personal life but also to know that she wasn’t the only one that mattered and sometimes, what she thought was good for  _her_ , wouldn’t exactly be good for  _them_ .

However, with her boyfriend out of town, Fallon ended up putting all of her energy on the new issue of Fallon Unlimited, which meant that occasionally, she forgot some meals or filled her stomach with nothing but coffee or scotch. It was only when she started feeling a headache and the coughing began that Fallon realized she hadn’t been taking care of herself like she should have.

In the shower, Fallon washed her hair carefully, spreading the shampoo all over her head while massaging her scalp, hoping it would ease down her headache. She was just about to lean against the water when her coughing intensified, louder and more frequent as it became harder to breath.

“Fal, are you okay?” Liam rushed into the bathroom. He was waiting on the bed for her but when her coughing wouldn’t stop, his first instinct was to jump off the bed and find her. Approaching the shower, he noticed Fallon had one hand on the glass in front of her and the other on her chest.

“No,” there was practically no sound in her voice. The bathroom was covered in steam since Fallon loved extremely hot showers but what worried Liam the most was the fact that even though most of her body was under the water, she was still shaking. As the shortness of breath got worse, Liam stripped out of his sweatpants and t-shirt and stepped into the shower.

“Fallon, you’re burning up!” Liam exclaimed when he wrapped his arms around her.

“I’m cold,” she was still shivering in his arms and he could even hear her teeth chattering.

“I’m pretty sure you have a fever, why didn’t you call me?” Liam ran his hand softly through her hair.

“I thought the water would help,” Fallon admitted, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Not this hot, Fallon,” Liam spoke softly. “I’m going to grab something for the fever but I will be back before you know it, okay?” He placed a kiss on the top of her head before opening the glass door and heading towards the sink.

Liam grabbed some paracetamol from the medicine box then filled a glass of water before returning to the shower.

“Drink this,” Liam gave her the pill and watched as she swallowed it down before hugging him again. “Now please don’t kill me but I have to do this,” keeping one arm around her frame, Liam reached for the faucet and turned it towards the cool side.

“Liam!” Fallon pushed him as soon as she felt the cooler water hit her back and he had to hold onto the walls so he wouldn’t fall. “What the hell!” She screamed.

“You need the cool water or your fever won’t go down...” Liam told her. “The water is far from cold, Fallon, I’m not trying to hurt you. You think it’s cold because your body is too warm right now but your temperature needs to go back to normal,” he explained. “This morning you told me not even a stupid cold could take Fallon Carrington down but now you’re letting the fever win?”

It had taken two whole days for Fallon to finally admit she was sick and twice that time for her to tell him she wasn’t feeling good. Liam knew that if he wanted to help her, he needed would have to play her own game. So. if she wasn’t going to admit she was wrong, he might as well tease her until she figured it out by herself.

“You  _know_ the cooler water is better for you. I love you but this stubborn look does  not suit you,” he looked deep into her eyes.

“Fine,” Fallon sighed, giving in.

“Take deep breaths, Fal,” Liam instructed. “I’m right here and I don’t intend on letting go of you,” her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as the water fell on her back. “Focus on your breathing for a few minutes... in,” he paused as she inhaled, “and out,” he continued. “In... and out,”

“It’s better now,” Fallon told him after a few tries. “The cough medicine was actually working but this time I couldn’t breath at all,” she explained.

“We’re calling your doctor first thing in the morning,” Liam told her. “Now, do you want me to stay here or do you want to finish your shower?” Liam questioned.

“You can go,” Fallon took a step back, wrapping her arms around herself in an attempt to feel warmer without the heat from his body. “I don’t want you to catch this too...” she had barely finished her sentence when the coughs came back.

Fallon leaned forward and her hand flew instantly to her chest. Her throat was dry and her chest hurt so much she couldn’t even decide whether the coughing was helping her breath or hurting her more. There was definitely no air getting into her lungs and when she was finally able to open her eyes, she could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked into his eyes, a look of desperation and panic in her own.

“Come on, I’m taking you to the hospital,” Liam opened the door and helped her get out. He grabbed the first robe he could reach from the wall and wrapped it around her body, tying the knot around her stomach. “Can you dry yourself while I get you some clothes?” Fallon nodded, taking the towel from his hand and sitting down on the toilet.

Liam dried himself as fast as he could and ran into their closet. He put on jeans, a black t-shirt and a jacket then reached for Fallon’s items.

“I know this would never be your choice of outfit but at least you will feel comfortable,” Liam handed her a pair of lacy panties and her black yoga pants.

Liam was trying his best not to show her how worried he was about her but the fact that she didn’t complain or even said anything about the clothes only made him worry more. Fallon stood up and put on the t-shirt and the hoodie he had picked out.

“Should I be worried that you got my comforting hoodie?” Fallon teased, making him sigh in relief. She may be sicker than they thought she was but at least she was still his Fallon.

“First of all, that is  my hoodie. The one I’ve had since high school because it’s my favorite and it so happened to be stolen by my girlfriend,” he laughed.

“You know it looks better on me,” Fallon smiled, brushing her hair. “I don’t remember ever getting a bad response from you when I wore it in bed...” she shrugged. “In fact,” she put her brush down and turned towards him, “you’re always so turned on it ends up discarded on the floor in a matter of seconds,”

“Can I please get it in writing that the great Fallon Carrington just admitted she looks hot in a piece of clothing that cost only two digits, has no brand, is from ten years ago and is twice her size?” Liam teased her and her eyes widened in surprise at his audacity. She hit his arm playfully and he couldn’t help but laugh.

“You mention that to anyone, Mr. Ridley, and you’re sleeping on the couch for an indefinite period of time,” she told him.

“You’re too sick to complain about your outfit but you’re good enough to boss me around?” Liam asked while they returned to the bedroom, waiting for Fallon to reply with a snarky comeback.

“I think the fever is coming back...” Instead, Fallon sat down on the edge of the bed. “I don’t feel good, Liam,”

“I know, babe,” Liam approached her and leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead. “You will feel better soon, I promise. now get your shoes and let’s go,” he reached for their phones and his wallet, placing them in his jacket, then grabbed Fallon’s handbag to get her ID.

The ride to the hospital was uneventful and when a Carrington arrives as a patient, you practically skip all lines and go straight to the first class treatment in a private room at the Carrington wing.

“When did the coughing start, Miss Carrington?” The doctor asked.

“About four days ago...” Fallon replied. “It was a normal cough but tonight it wouldn’t stop and I couldn’t breath,” she explained.

“Do you feel any pain when you cough?” Fallon nodded. “Like there’s something pressing heavily against your chest or more like a sharp pain penetrating your chest?”

“Sharp,” she answered between coughs.

“Before I finish your file, I would like to start examining you,” he stood up from the chair and placed the iPad down so he could put on his gloves. “Take off your hoodie and shirt and sit down on the bed,”

Fallon handed her clothes over to Liam then did as instructed by the doctor. Liam leaned against one of the walls and offered Fallon a comforting and reassuring smile.

“Take a deep breath for me,” he requested, placing the stethoscope on her back. “Have you been experiencing fatigue or tiredness any more than usual?”

“I’m a little tired but I’ve been working a lot,” Fallon replied as he moved the stethoscope to her chest.

“Another deep breath,” he asked. “Does it hurt when you do that?”

“A little,” she mumbled. “It’s bearable, unlike the one I feel when I cough,”

“How long have you been feeling this pain?” The doctor wrapped the stethoscope around his neck then reached for the thermometer.

“The headache comes and goes but the chest pain started today,”

“102.4 F,” he read the results.

“Oh God,” Fallon’s head shot up at Liam’s reaction.

“Miss Carrington, I’m afraid this might be a case of pneumonia,” the doctor began. “We can’t be completely sure without a few more tests so I will have a nurse come by so they can prepare you. The first thing will be a blood test so we can start you on an IV for the fever,” he explained. “Any allergies we should know?” Fallon shook her head. “Is there any chance you might be pregnant?” 

Liam lost his balance and even swallowed through the wrong pipe when he heard the doctor’s question. Fallon, however, remained calm and simply shook her head again. “I’m on the pill...”

“You’re going to be here a while so I suggest you two get comfortable,” the doctor looked between the couple. “If you need anything, just push the red button,” he said before exiting the room.

Once the door was closed, Liam rushed towards Fallon and took a seat by her side. He wrapped one arm around her body, bringing her closer to him and Fallon rested her head on his chest. “I’m right here...” he whispered while running his hand up and down her arm.

Liam had never seen Fallon sick. To be fair, he hadn’t seen much of her vulnerable side before she moved out of the manor but ever since they started living together, he got glimpses of the sweet and soft girl that lived inside of her. He knew exactly how it felt to be ignored by your parents your whole life. All they ever wanted was to feel loved. They hadn’t been dating for long but if there was one thing he had set his foot on was that he was going to do anything in his power to make sure Fallon Carrington was happy.

“Everything will be okay, Fal,” Liam leaned his head against hers and laced their fingers together, letting their hands rest on his legs. 

[...]

The doctor confirmed the pneumonia three hours later. Fallon had done all kinds of tests and every single one showed an infection in the lungs. Due to her high fever, the doctor decided to admit her, at least for a day. Even with the antibiotics and the IV, her fever was constantly oscillating between 100F and 101.5F. With the proper care and hydration, her body was slowly returning to a normal temperature and Fallon was starting to feel a little better.

The sun was already shining outside the hospital when Liam walked into the room with a large blue bag and one of her Louis Vuitton bags. Fallon was eating the yogurt from her breakfast tray while checking her e-mails on her phone.

“Where did you go?” Fallon asked.

“I went home to take a shower and grab you some fresh clothes,” Liam set the bags on the table. “I brought your make up and even your favorite Louboutin...“

“Thank you,” Fallon offered him a smile.

“How are you feeling?” Liam walked towards he bed and held her hand in his. “You barely slept all night...”

“I’m still having shortness of breath,” Fallon told him. “The cough is a lot better but I kept waking up because I couldn’t breath so the nurse gave me this thing,” she gestured to the nasal cannula on her face, “which is horrible and it makes me look even worse but at least I can breath now,” she rolled her eyes and Liam couldn’t help but laugh. “The drugs are actually making me sleepy but I wanted to wait for you,” she admitted.

“I’m sorry it took me so long,” Liam ran his fingers down her face, putting a lock of hair behind her ear as Fallon leaned her head against his hand.

“Lie down with me?” Fallon asked.

“Of course,” Liam replied. “I brought something to help with your recovery,” he reached for the blue bag and placed it next to her. As she reached for it, he stood up and closed the curtains so the room was dimly lit then walked around the bed to lie by her side. With his elbow on the pillow and his head on his hand, he watched as Fallon unwrapped the gift.

“Aww,” Fallon’s eyes sparkled when she retrieved the stuffed black bear. She traced her thumb along the red tie around its neck, carefully paying attention to every single detail of the toy before turning her head towards Liam. Fallon could tell he hadn’t bought it that morning. She could see the sewing threads on its left arm and right ear and she could only guess its brown paws were more like cream or maybe even white one day. Not to mention the JL monogram on the bottom of the bear’s tie.

“I had to get my tonsils out when I was five and I was in panic,” Liam started. “I thought that I was going to die because I needed to stay in the hospital so even though I was in terrible pain, I would hide around the house so my parents wouldn’t find me on the day of the surgery,” Fallon tried to picture a tiny Liam running away from his parents and a smile appeared on her lips as she listened to his story. “Then my fever got really high and I left the closet I was hiding in to look for my dad. He noticed how scared I was so he picked me up in his arms and told me that he was going to take care of me and that I would feel better soon,” he continued. “My mom was always yelling at me, saying I needed the surgery for my own good and I was just throwing a tantrum, but my dad actually saw my fear. I heard my mom tell him that they should just put me in the car and go and that I would have no choice but to have the surgery but he told her he had a better idea. We drove almost an hour to get to Manhattan and we stopped right in front of Build-a-Bear,”

“This is your bear, isn’t it?” Fallon questioned.

“He told me to pick the one I liked the most because it would be with me all the time and I wouldn’t feel scared ever again,” Liam added. “He took me to the hospital right after,”

“You’ve kept this for twenty years?”

“It’s one of the few things I have left from my dad... I was incredibly sick at the time but that still remains one of the best memories I had with him,” Liam reached for the bear. “As the years went by, I figured it would be nice to save it for my kids but for now, I hope it will help you,” he wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her towards him, the bear now perfectly safe between Fallon’s free arm and her stomach. “You’re the strongest woman I know, Fal. I know it must be hard for you not to be able to do what you do best because you’re too sick to even breath by yourself but I hope it can cheer you up, at least a bit...”

Fallon closed her eyes and took a deep breath, hoping Liam wouldn’t notice how his story and the stuffed animal had gotten to her, but that man could read her like an open book. There was no point in hiding the tears that were pooling in her eyes and how tight her chest felt, and not because of the pneumonia.

“Hey, Fal...” Liam spoke softly. “What’s wrong?” He was worried. “Did I hug you too tight?”

“No,” Fallon shook her head. “I love the way you hug me,” she spoke.

“Are you in pain?”

Fallon lifted her head from his chest and looked at him. As her blue eyes met his, she found the confidence and the encouragement she needed to tell him how she really felt, and that’s when the tears started rolling down her cheeks. “ _No one_ , in my _entire_ life, has ever taken care of me the way you’ve been doing since last night,” Liam’s heart broke into a million pieces once he heard those words. “Alexis and Blake never spent a single night in my bedroom with me... before last night, the only way I knew about how to cope with pain and sickness was to raise your head, swallow the tears, focus on anything but the pain and move on,” she confessed.

“You have me now, babe,” Liam kissed her hair, “so you don’t have to use those methods ever again, okay?”

“Will you stay?” Fallon asked. As an answer, Liam kicked off his shoes and got under the covers, joining her. “I love you, Liam,” Fallon murmured. “Thank you for everything you’ve ever done for me,”

“I wouldn’t have done it any other way, Fal,” Liam whispered softly.

“Can I keep your bear?” Fallon was half-asleep but she didn’t want to let go of the bear anytime soon. She was never one to care about stuffed animals, not even as a child, but the meaning behind that specific bear made her want to hold him forever.

“Of course you can, Fal,” Liam laughed, “but only until a mini version of you asks me the same question, okay?”

If there was one thing Fallon figured out during the past few months, it’s that you don’t need a lot of stuff, a lot of money or even power to be happy. At the end of the day, all you need is that person who would go to the ends of the Earth just to see a smile on your face. 

As Fallon finally felt asleep, she finally understood that she had been focusing on the wrong things her whole life. She was so busy trying to build empires that she didn’t realize that, by definition, dynasties may be all about power and leadership but they will never exist without a family. 

And from now on, that’s where her focus would be, by doing what no Carrington ever did.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea why I always tease about kids at the end of my stories but it fit so well here. I knew exactly where I wanted to end it and Liam’s sentence just made a lot of sense in there, as she falls asleep in his arms.  
> I hope you enjoyed reading it!


End file.
